UK Parliament / Open data

Policing and Crime Bill

Proceeding contribution from Keith Vaz (Labour) in the House of Commons on Monday, 7 March 2016. It occurred during Debate on bills on Policing and Crime Bill.

I thank the Minister, and I say to him that he should carry on cherry-picking if that results in changes that find favour with both sides of the House.

On mental health, the Bill will ban the use of police cells as places of safety for under-18s, and the Committee has never believed that they are the right place for such people. I acknowledge the work done by my hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr Jones), who has also campaigned on these issues over a number of years. He is one of those who have always said that people with such illnesses should be in police cells only in exceptional cases. That applies, of course, to children, but also to adults.

The Committee likes the idea of police officers consulting members of the medical profession before removing a person to a place of safety, and we think it is right that there should be a maximum period of detention.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

607 c66 

Session

2015-16

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber
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